A sports bike that is also useful outside the track

Sports bikes have long focused on introducing new technologies, cutting tenths per lap and achieving maximum horsepower. However, in recent years there has been a serious shift in this category. Most consumers no longer want track-specific superbikes, but instead desire versatility and practicality. We don’t blame you either.

These are street bikes at the end of the day, and if they’re not doing track days, you’re technically putting all that stress on your back and arms for no reason. If you believe in this idea and believe that sports bikes should also have meaning off the track, you’ll be happy to know that there is no shortage of such machines these days. Of these, there is one that makes the most sense, and it comes from perhaps the most sensible bicycle maker of the moment.

The Honda CBR650R is the sports bike that also makes sense off the track

Our choice here is the Honda CBR650R. Yes, we know it’s one of the quieter bikes in the competitive middleweight segment. But don’t forget that the focus here is on things outside the track. This is where the CBR really shines, while giving you a true inline-four sports bike experience.

It has a pleasant exhaust note, has good road presence and you can also reach high speeds with it. All this while the do-it-all character is very prominent, because you sit in an upright riding position (by sports bike standards) without any pain points.

To make it even more fun, there is the E-Clutch technology that is new from 2025. That helps to completely eliminate the use of the physical clutch. Yes, even if you roll away from a standstill. No other bike in the segment can handle that so far. Last but not least, the CBR650R sells for less than $10,000. So it is also accessible to most of us middle class people.

What else offers a similar experience, you ask? Well, the Kawasaki Ninja 650 comes close. It’s a very simple sports bike, built to do everything well off the track. However, it is quite inferior to the CBR in terms of power, design and features. Kawasaki has also been quite lazy in providing regular updates to the 650.

The Suzuki GSX-8R is another brilliant alternative. It has one of the highest torque figures in its segment, which means enormous usability. At the same time, the overall package is comparable, if not more premium, than that of the Honda. But we feel that the E-clutch and inline-four mill give the CBR a slight advantage.

A stress-free transmission makes the Honda CBR650R very practical

The stress associated with feathering the clutch is real, whether you’re in town or at the track. Honda’s new technology aims to make your life easier in this regard. This is like a souped-up version of a quickshifter-blipper combo. This means that you can shift the six-speed gearbox up or down without a clutch.

But as a bonus, you don’t even have to use the clutch while driving from a stop. The result is a truly practical sports bike for life away from the track. Oh, and if you want to do things traditionally, there’s still a physical clutch lever.

In Honda’s words: “In situations where drive force changes, such as starting, shifting and stopping, the electronic control technology provides immediate, fine-tuned optimal clutch control, allowing smooth start/shift/stop without the rider having to operate the clutch lever.”

A 649cc inline four engine powers the CBR650R

While the E-clutch helps the CBR stand out, the engine is also quite an achievement. That’s because there isn’t another inline-four middleweight sport bike on sale right now. As for the numbers, the 649cc inline-four mill runs a mildly snappy 11.6:1 compression ratio and produces 94 horsepower and 46.5 pound-feet. Both figures come in surprisingly low for an inline-four bike, which shows a focus on tractability rather than top-end grunt. You can still reach a top speed of more than 250 kilometers per hour.

Simple underpinnings reiterate the CBR650R’s focus on Life Beyond Track

Just like the engine, the CBR650R also keeps things simple here. So you get Showa forks with a separate function at the top, along with a Showa monoshock at the rear. Only the rear is adjustable, and we think the front adjustability is a serious miss on Honda’s part. The suspension is teamed with 17-inch cast alloy wheels, with the front housing dual 310mm rotors and the rear a 240mm disc. Nissin calipers bite all three. The protagonist, meanwhile, is a steel diamond chassis.

However, a high curb weight can make life difficult

Extra cylinders often mean extra weight, and that is clearly visible here. The CBR650R weighs 466 pounds fully fueled, which is quite high by middleweight sportbike standards. That means it certainly won’t be the easiest to live with in tight traffic situations. What will help, however, is the fairly low saddle height of less than 32 inches.

You get all the necessary features on the Honda CBR650R

The CBR650R was for a long time one of the simplest bikes in its class. However, in 2025 it has become more modern. You get a TFT instrument cluster with different display modes and smartphone connectivity as standard. There’s also traction control, dual-channel ABS and the E-clutch we mentioned above. We don’t think you need anything else on a motorcycle of this caliber, although a six-axis IMU would have been a nice touch.

The features are accompanied by an updated design. It’s a more pleasing aesthetic in our books, thanks to its more minimalist lines. Yet the characteristic Honda atmosphere remains present, enhanced by the three-color HRC paint scheme. Speaking of colorways, there’s only one option, even though the international market has a matte black option.